Architecture (B.Sc.) (126 credits)
Offered by: Architecture (Faculty of Engineering)
Degree: Bachelor of Science (Architecture)
Program credit weight: 126 credits
Program Description
Program credit weight for CEGEP students: 98 credits
The B.Sc.(Arch.) program provides conceptual, technical, and procedural foundations for the professional M.Arch. program, which is accredited by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board and recognized as accredited by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards in the US. Students entering the B.Sc.(Arch.) program complete first-year courses in general studies (including sciences, humanities, and social sciences), for which individuals entering with the Québec Diploma of Collegial Studies in Arts and Science or Pure and Applied Science (or equivalent) are generally granted transfer credits. All students then complete six terms of immersion in architecture, centered in studio courses exploring principles of design, norms of representation, cultures of construction, and the human experience of architecture. Studio-based learning is complemented by lecture courses on foundational knowledge. Complementary courses provide further opportunities to learn about how culture intersects with technology in the work of architecture, and students select electives to customize their learning experience.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Required Year 0 (Freshman) Courses (28 credits)
Generally, students admitted to the Architecture program from Quebec CEGEPs are granted transfer credit for the Year 0 (Freshman) courses and enter a 98-credit (six-term) program.
Course choices must be made through consultation with the Student Adviser for the Professional Programs.
All Year 0 students must successfully complete 10 credits from the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 133 | Linear Algebra and Geometry. | 3 |
Linear Algebra and Geometry. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Systems of linear equations, matrices, inverses, determinants; geometric vectors in three dimensions, dot product, cross product, lines and planes; introduction to vector spaces, linear dependence and independence, bases. Linear transformations. Eigenvalues and diagonalization. | ||
| MATH 140 | Calculus 1. | 3 |
Calculus 1. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Review of functions and graphs. Limits, continuity, derivative. Differentiation of elementary functions. Antidifferentiation. Applications. | ||
| PHYS 131 | Mechanics and Waves. 1 | 4 |
Mechanics and Waves. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The basic laws and principles of Newtonian mechanics; oscillations, waves, and wave optics. | ||
- 1
A PHYS course equivalent to Mechanics with labs may be substituted upon approval of the department.
All Year 0 students must also successfully complete 16 credits as follows:
3 credits from among any 100- or 200-level courses with the subject codes of ATOC (Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences), COMP (Computer Science), ENVR (Environment), and EPSC (Earth and Planetary Sciences).
15 credits from among any 100- or 200-level courses with the subject codes of AFRI (African Studies), ANTH (Anthropology), ARTH (Art History), CANS (Canadian Studies), CATH (Catholic Studies), CLAS (Classics), COMS (Communication Studies), EAST (East Asian Studies), ECON (Economics), ENGL (English), FREN (French), FSCI (Faculty of Science), GEOG (Geography), GSFS (Gender, Sexuality, Feminist, and Social Justice), GERM (German), HISP (Hispanic Studies), HIST (History), INDG (Indigenous Studies), ISLA (Islamic Studies), ITAL (Italian), JWST (Jewish Studies), LING (Linguistics), LLCU (Languages, Literatures, and Cultures), MUAR (Music - Arts Faculty), PHIL (Philosophy), POLI (Political Science), PSYC (Psychology), RELG (Religious Studies), RUSS (Russian), SOCI (Sociology).
Required Courses (83 credits)
Architectural Courses
Note: ARCH 250 Architectural History 1. and ARCH 378 Introduction to Building Environments. should be taken in the first year of studies.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 201 | Communication, Behaviour and Architecture. | 6 |
Communication, Behaviour and Architecture. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to design; development of design judgement and communication skills in a series of exercises addressing light, scale, space, form and colour in the built environment; introduction to techniques of oral and graphic presentation, including model making, photography, sketching and architectural drawing. The course is based in the studio and includes lectures, seminars and field trips. | ||
| ARCH 202 | Architectural Graphics and Elements of Design. | 6 |
Architectural Graphics and Elements of Design. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to architectural design; consideration of building form in relation to program, structural system, material selection, site and climate; further development of skills in model making, conventional architectural drawing, axonometric and perspective drawing, sketching and architectural rendering. The course is based in the studio and includes lectures, seminars and field trips. | ||
| ARCH 221 | Architectural Drawing. | 2 |
Architectural Drawing. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Strategies for visualization and representation based on perspective, orthographic and oblique projection; drawing in the design process; relationship of drawing type to design intention; freehand drawing and sketching; architectural survey and notebook recording. Students work in the studio and in the field in a range of media. | ||
| ARCH 240 | Organization of Materials in Buildings. | 3 |
Organization of Materials in Buildings. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The characteristics of basic building materials: wood, steel, masonry and concrete. How building materials are shaped into building components, and how these components are integrated into the building envelope. Problems, laboratory projects and field trips to illustrate principles. | ||
| ARCH 241 | Architectural Structures 1. | 3 |
Architectural Structures 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to the fundamental concepts and forms of structures in architecture. | ||
| ARCH 250 | Architectural History 1. | 3 |
Architectural History 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The study of architecture and cities from ancient times to 1750. | ||
| ARCH 251 | Architectural History 2. | 3 |
Architectural History 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The study of North American architecture and cities from 1950 to the present. | ||
| ARCH 303 | Design and Construction 1. | 6 |
Design and Construction 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An exploration of the design of buildings. Projects emphasize the major social, technological, environmental, and symbolic aspects of the design process. Introduction to specific modelling, presentation, and documentation techniques. Discussions, readings, field trips and practical exercises. | ||
| ARCH 304 | Design and Construction 2. | 6 |
Design and Construction 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Continuation of Design and Construction I with projects of increasing complexity. Projects deal with particular aspects of architectural design and/or explore approaches to design methodology. Discussions, readings, field trips and practical exercises. | ||
| ARCH 325 | Architectural Sketching. | 2 |
Architectural Sketching. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Seven days of supervised field sketching in selected locations outside Montreal. The course develops traditional skills in architectural sketching in pencil, ink and watercolour. Sketching is explored as a process that frames the student's encounter with the environment and as a strategy for acquiring knowledge and understanding of the world. | ||
| ARCH 342 | Digital Representation. | 3 |
Digital Representation. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course introduces students to digital representation in architecture. Students explore applications of state-of-the-art two- and three-dimensional computer modeling software in architectural design. | ||
| ARCH 354 | Architectural History 3. | 3 |
Architectural History 3. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The study of Modern European architecture from 1750 to 1950. | ||
| ARCH 355 | Architectural History 4. | 3 |
Architectural History 4. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The study of cities and world architecture from 1900 to the present. | ||
| ARCH 375 | Landscape. | 3 |
Landscape. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Land form, plant life, microclimate; land use and land preservation; elements and methods of landscape design. | ||
| ARCH 377 | Energy, Environment, and Buildings 1. | 3 |
Energy, Environment, and Buildings 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Exploration of the interrelationship between energy, environment, and building. Climate analysis and design, daylighting, electrical systems, plumbing and water conservation, and conveyance systems. | ||
| ARCH 378 | Introduction to Building Environments. | 3 |
Introduction to Building Environments. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to ecology, technology, and building through climate change as a central topic for architects in this century. | ||
| ARCH 405 | Design and Construction 3. | 6 |
Design and Construction 3. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A structured investigation of architectural concepts; program interpretation with respect to relevant cultural, social and environmental contexts; applications of appropriate formal languages and building technologies in integrated proposals for a variety of building forms. | ||
| ARCH 406 | Design and Construction 4. | 6 |
Design and Construction 4. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A detailed study and comprehensive development of architectural proposals for complex building types and site conditions; the exploration of coherent initial concepts with respect to programmatic requirements, image and form; subsequent elaboration leading to meaningful and technologically viable designs for the built environment. | ||
| ARCH 445 | Architectural Structures 2. | 3 |
Architectural Structures 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Holistic overview of structural systems for architects and application to real-world architectural projects. Fundamentals and principles of the philosophy of structures; structural theory; mechanics of structures; loadings; different structural components such as gravity and lateral force resisting systems; materials and other factors in the design and analysis of structures. | ||
| ARCH 447 | Energy, Environment, and Buildings 2. | 3 |
Energy, Environment, and Buildings 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced exploration of the interrelationships among energy, environment, and building. Topics include energy efficiency, thermal envelopes, life-cycle design, materials selection, fluid mechanics of natural ventilation, thermal science of passive design, adaptive thermal comfort, the 'air-conditioning trap', the 'embodied carbon blindspot,' and the 'timber-carbon sink'. | ||
| ARCH 451 | Building Regulations and Safety. | 3 |
Building Regulations and Safety. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The study of building codes with specific emphasis on the National Building and National Fire Codes of Canada. Examples of existing buildings with assignments to illustrate regulations. Development of a systematic approach to the implementation of codes during the preliminary design stage of an architectural project. | ||
| ARCH 512 | Architectural Modelling. | 3 |
Architectural Modelling. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Architectural modelling using advanced applications in digital media. Topics include: 3-D modelling and rendering; image editing; digital animation; hypertext and the World Wide Web; issues of representation and methodology; comparison of publishing applications. Projects complement design studio courses and independent studies that are student or instructor initiated. | ||
| ARCH 551 | Urban Design and Planning. | 3 |
Urban Design and Planning. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Fundamentals of city-building in Canada relative to municipal, regional, and provincial actions used to guide urban growth and development. Contemporary urban design in major metropolitan centres as shaped by legal, political, and cultural realities. Current preoccupations in citybuilding: reurbanisation and adaptive reuse of infrastructure, collaborative multi-stakeholder projects, strategic initiatives, changing relationships between professional experts and grassroots actors. Introduction to specific aspects of practice: public participation and community engagement; land development and real estate; project feasibility and implementation; policy monitoring and evaluation; emergent city-building regimes. | ||
Complementary Courses (6 credits)
6 credits from among the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARCH 379 | Summer Course Abroad. | 3 |
Summer Course Abroad. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Studies in-situ of key buildings, landscapes and urban settings; techniques of graphic documentations, analysis of physical configuration, constructional details and present use. Excursions to neighbouring sites of architectural interest. | ||
| ARCH 383 | Geometry and Architecture. | 3 |
Geometry and Architecture. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Geometry in the formal structure of design. Grids, lattices, polygons and polyhedra; proportional systems. Evidence of these figures and structures in natural objects and phenomena. Graphical and physical models. Application to architecture and the human environment. Case studies. | ||
| ARCH 490 | Selected Topics in Design. | 2 |
Selected Topics in Design. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A course to allow the introduction of special topics in related areas of design. | ||
| ARCH 514 | Community Design Workshop. | 3 |
Community Design Workshop. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Context-focused community-based architectural projects undertaken in collaboration with external partners. Exploration of challenges, needs, and opportunities in architectural and urban-design interventions on real sites through interdisciplinary and cross-sectorial collaboration. | ||
| ARCH 515 | Sustainable Design. | 3 |
Sustainable Design. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course will address sustainable design theory and applications in the built environment with students from a variety of fields (architecture, urban planning, engineering, sociology, environmental studies, economics, international studies). Architecture will provide the focus for environmental, socio-cultural and economic issues. | ||
| ARCH 517 | Sustainable Residential Development. | 3 |
Sustainable Residential Development. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Design strategies of sustainable residential environments at the community and the unit levels. Historic references, siting principles, high density, healthy developments, green homes, urban renewal, circulation and parking, open spaces and implementation approaches. | ||
| ARCH 519 | Field Course Abroad. | 3 |
Field Course Abroad. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Advanced and comprehensive studies in-situ of key buildings, landscapes and urban settings; techniques of graphic documentations, analysis of physical configuration, constructional details and present use. | ||
| ARCH 520 | Montreal: Urban Morphology. | 3 |
Montreal: Urban Morphology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Historical, geographical, demographical, and regional evolution of the metropolis of Montreal. Topics include: important quartiers, the Montreal urban grid, industrialization, reform movements, geographical diversity, urban culture, local building techniques and materials. Basic concepts of urban morphology and their relationships to the contemporary urban context will be explored. | ||
| ARCH 523 | Significant Texts and Buildings. | 3 |
Significant Texts and Buildings. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Critical study of significant architectural thought since 1750 as it has been expressed in buildings and texts (treatises, manifestos, criticisms). A specific theme will be addressed every year to allow in-depth interpretations of the material presented and discussed. | ||
| ARCH 525 | Seminar on Analysis and Theory. | 3 |
Seminar on Analysis and Theory. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Analysis and evaluation of significant architectural projects with reference to contemporary architectural theories. | ||
| ARCH 528 | History of Housing. | 3 |
History of Housing. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Indigenous housing both transient and permanent, from the standpoint of individual structure and pattern of settlements. The principal historic examples of houses including housing in the age of industrial revolution and contemporary housing. | ||
| ARCH 531 | Architectural Intentions Vitruvius - Renaissance. | 3 |
Architectural Intentions Vitruvius - Renaissance. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Architectural intentions embodied in buildings and writings of architects from antiquity to the Renaissance. Special emphasis is placed on the cultural connections of architecture to science and philosophy. | ||
| ARCH 532 | Origins of Modern Architecture. | 3 |
Origins of Modern Architecture. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Examination of architectural intentions (theory and practice) in the European context (especially France, Italy and England), during the crucial period that marks the beginning of the modern era. | ||
| ARCH 535 | History of Architecture in Canada. | 3 |
History of Architecture in Canada. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. French, British and American influences in the history of Canadian architecture, with particular emphasis on the Eastern Provinces. Site visits and case studies. | ||
| ARCH 536 | Heritage Conservation. | 3 |
Heritage Conservation. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Historic attitudes and terminologies of conservation; historic research techniques. Restoration technology of building materials and principles of interior design in the 19th and 20th century; current preservation planning. | ||
| ARCH 540 | Selected Topics in Architecture 1. | 3 |
Selected Topics in Architecture 1. Terms offered: Summer 2025 A course to allow the introduction of new topics in Architecture as needs arise, by regular and visiting staff. | ||
| ARCH 541 | Selected Topics in Architecture 2. | 3 |
Selected Topics in Architecture 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A course to allow the introduction of new topics in Architecture as needs arise, by regular and visiting staff. | ||
| ARCH 542 | Selected Topics in Architecture 3. | 3 |
Selected Topics in Architecture 3. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Special topics related to architecture will be presented by core faculty and visiting lecturers. | ||
| ARCH 543 | Selected Topics in Architecture 4. | 3 |
Selected Topics in Architecture 4. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Special topics related to architecture will be presented by core faculty and visiting lecturers. | ||
| ARCH 562 | Innovative Homes and Communities. | 3 |
Innovative Homes and Communities. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Innovative design concepts for sustainable homes and communities to include adaptability; net-zero energy; micro units; recycling; plug and play; green roofs; aging in place and live-work. | ||
| ARCH 564 | Design for Development. | 3 |
Design for Development. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Designing for sustainable development to meet broad developmental goals. Innovative design approaches, strategies and projects to address these objectives via economic empowerment, food security, gender equity, health, sanitation, climate-change preparedness, and shelter-sector engagements. | ||
| ARCH 566 | Cultural Landscapes Seminar. | 3 |
Cultural Landscapes Seminar. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Overview of cultural landscapes studies, methodologies, and resources. Comparative studies of the connection between people, place, and artifact systems through a critical examination of architecture, regional context, and material culture. Examination of precedents for the interpretation of cultural landscapes by architects, ethnologists, anthropologists, folklorists, historians, writers, filmmakers, photographers, and artists. | ||
Elective Courses (9 credits)
9 credits of elective courses outside the School of Architecture must be completed, subject to approval by the Student Adviser.